NJPC formed body to devise institutional response to missing person issue

ISLAMABAD: The National Judicial Policy-Making Committee (NJPC) meeting established a high-level committee for institutional response to the issue of missing persons.

The meeting of the National Judicial Policy-Making Committee (NJPC) was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, in which the Chief Justices of all High Courts and Additional Attorney Generals participated.

According to the statement, the NJPC expressed deep concern over the issue of missing persons and established a high-level committee for institutional response to the issue of missing persons.

The statement said that the high-level committee on missing persons will also consider the concerns of the executive on the issue, and said that the judiciary will not compromise on the issue of fundamental rights.

According to the announcement, the meeting decided to provide protection to judicial officers from external interference, a structure to protect judicial officers from external interference will be established in the High Courts and complaints of external interference will be made at the relevant forum, complaints of external interference of judicial officers will be redressed within the prescribed time frame, and the High Court was directed to devise an integrated system for reporting and redressal of complaints.

The announcement stated that approval was given to establish a commercial litigation corridor for the speedy resolution of commercial cases and to implement the double docket court regime on a trial basis under the commitment to speedy justice.

According to the announcement, constitutional petitions related to financial and tax matters will be heard through division benches in the High Courts, while the meeting approved the framework of model criminal trial courts to reduce the pendency of criminal cases.

A committee has been formed to ensure uniformity and high standards in the district judiciary, for which Justice (retd) Rehmat Hussain will be the head of the committee, The Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court, Registrars High Courts and Director General of Federal Judicial Academy will be included.

Approval was also given to prepare a Professional Excellence Index for the recruitment of lawyers for judges, while the committee appreciated the detailed presentation based on reforms by the Inspector General of Punjab Police.

It was decided to issue SOPs for video link for the attendance of prisoners and government witnesses in court, judicial academies will conduct training for police officers.